Deviation Actions
Description
Horse: 1730 Sahsoras ****
Rider: Turta Askot
Stable: Akmuo stables
Class: Dressage
Number: #136
Song: In a week - Hozier & Karen Cowley youtube.com/watch?v=uYetnulJwLc
Ironstone Masters
/Ironstone Inspection/ | /Really?/
Story 1,659 words.
The second day of arriving at Ironstone was spent mostly practicing the dressage test anywhere it was free. After being on rest since the summer Sass needed all the extra time he could get, and Turta definitely didn't want to re-enter the dressage world on a bad test. Though they were both displeased with the random showers, the temperature sure was a nice change from England's frosty winter. Not that it made a difference; they were both still soaked by rain. After riding on and off throughout the day the test was now perfected and perfectly timed to their chosen music. Turta will be riding in utter confidence; Sass will dance in pure style.
After the last ride at about 3pm Turta then wondered the stalls trying to find Sass's stall again, although not a complicate layout it's still hard to navigate around the identical stalls. She eventually found it after her third walk around, feeling embarrassed by all the confused stares directed at her she lead the bored horse into freshly cleaned stall. She stripped him of his heavy wet leather and just layered a thin fleece over his back to speed the drying of his damp coat. While she waited for Sass to dry she herself sat under a fleece in the corner of the stall trying to reach Judith who came with her to Ironstone but obviously got preoccupied watching the hunters. Turta woke to the sound of Judith's camera, and hazily looked about the stall seeing just one large mass of napping Sass.
'I see you eventually got my messages' Turta frowned as she rubbed her sore eyes. Judith just smiled and looked through the photos on her camera.
'I'm sure Tom will love this photo of you, so cute!' she cooed, knowing it would annoy Turta. She turned away to wake up Sass, secretly smiling at the thought of Tom. It's only been two days and she was already missing him heavily. Sass hopped up from the floor and awkwardly stood where he lay, obviously pissed that his beauty sleep was interrupted so abruptly. It was coming on 6pm and Turta was shattered, but Judith seemed to have energy to spare being her usual bubbly self.
'Can you please sort Sass out?' Turta kind of mumbled, not able to get clear words out of her tired face. 'I really need more rest before the show tomorrow morning'.
'Sure thing' Judith beamed, whipping off Sass's fleece as Turta shuffled away.
Turta doesn't even remember getting to her room; she just passed out on her bed until her alarm sounded at 5am. She got up feeling a lot more human than she did last night, actually able to function properly now after that long sleep. She pulled on some sweats and a nice jumper to wear down to the stables with her show clothes slung over her shoulder in a garment bag. Tip toeing out of the room, leaving Judith snoring in bed next to what looks like room service trays with small plates scattered over them. Turta didn't bother to question the trays, to preoccupied with riding the test in her head. She trotted down to the stables, aware that she looks like shit but really couldn't care less until she actually had to ride.
Finding the stall straight away she glided to where Sass's head was alertly poking out, fully aware that he was going to get the traditional show treats, polo's. The garment bag was hung on the stall bars and Turta reached into her jumper pocket to retrieve what most horses considered a god send.
Sass munched happily on his now mint flavoured hay as Turta worked into his coat, trying to get it as shiny as possible. This proved a lot harder now that he is white rather than his past frosty chestnut. Once his coat was sparkling Turta began work on his hooves, adding sweet smelling oil to make them glisten. And later being joined by a ,once again, bubbly Judith. Her happiness is usually tiring to Turta but today seems to be the exception as they both giggled about gossip whilst cleaning Sass's tack.
Once everything was cleaned to perfection Turta and Judith went to go have breakfast until it was time for Turta to get ready. Fourty minutes passed and they just chatted in a nice café sipping weird tasting tea, nothing compared to what you get in England. It slowly got to 8am, the suitable time for Turta to prep herself and for Judith to finish tacking up Sass.
Tacking up Sass didn't take near as long as it did for Turta to get ready. Judith was just sat outside the stall browsing her phone when Turta finally strolled back to them.
'sorry I took so long, these breeches are harder to get on than they seem,' Turta explains as she shakes her leg about emphasising how tight they are.
'That's fine, gave me some time to catch up with everyone at home,' Turta looks up as if to ask how they are.' It's all fine, they are just all missing us and wish you good luck today' Judith said as she shooed Turta towards Sass and threw her on top of him.
Turta and Sass made their way to the already packed warm up arena; whilst Judith made her way to the dressage arena to grab a seat and frowning at the forming grey clouds. Luckily she has an umbrella, being intuitive enough to check the forecast for today. Judith stuck out her hand to feel for raindrops, none on her hand but her head suddenly got wet. One drop is enough for her to know that the umbrella needs to be up now or she will be in the downpour. As she popped up her classic rainbow brolly she caught sight of a very familiar face. Well, very familiar blond hair. She could have sworn it was Olly from Oak Brooke up in Scotland, she was completely unaware that they would even be competing here with all the shows on at the moment. So Judith sat and stared at him for a good ten minutes before any dressage actually started before she had confirmed with herself that it is in fact Olly. She bounced over holding her umbrella above her still to stand next to where he leant against the fence smiling at him. He stared over rather confused with the figure beside him.
'It's Judith,' she stated still staring down at the confused man, 'from Akmuo down in England.' Sticking her hand out in front of her, Olly shook it slowly as Judith proceeded to squeeze in the space between him and a young girl soaked with rain instead of just crossing to the other side of him.
'I'm Olly,' he finally voiced now recalling who this is.
'I know, I recognised the hair.' Judith chuckled pointing at his blond locks.
Judith continued to chat to Olly about the colour of travel boots and that unicorns do exist they just live in a magical fairy land, until the dressage riders came out. Finally the riding started and Olly was granted with Judith's silence. They now just sat rather quietly under the giant rainbow umbrella.
Meanwhile this was going on; Turta finally squeezed herself into the small warm up arena and began to trot small circles in the limited open space. As she went around for the third time she caught glimpse of a very familiar grullo horse with bright blue eyes. Leaning back to walk, Turta continued to stare at the horse discreetly as Sass continued to circle around.
‘Turta!’ The girl on the grullo bellowed, ‘Turta is that you?’
Turta realized that it was in fact Reno, with Skye riding. She grinned at her as she tried to weave Sass towards where they stood. Then noticing that Elly was there with a horse Turta wasn’t familiar with. They all lined up automatically and continued to circle the arena. Catching up on one another’s lives and discussing the upcoming dressage test.
The arena slowly emptied,making the weather a lot more obvious than before, until it was Elly’s turn to face the judges. Then Skye’s and Turta was left in the now seemingly large arena on her own. Not for long though as she was right after.
‘Askot and Sahsoras please enter the dressage arena.. Askot and Sahsoras please enter the dressage arena..’
Turta stripped off her current waterproof attire and trotted into the arena. She wasn’t nervous before, but now her breathing has deepened at the site of flooding sand and glaring judges. Taking a deep breath before entering down the center line, she shook slightly. Out of fear or the cold rain she wasn’t too sure.
The music started and Turta trotted her way down the center, performing an almost perfect square halt at the end. Then began the test. Showing off all of Sass’s graceful gaits, his extended walk is always best and it defiantly was today. By the end of the test the judges seemed to be pleased enough, so Turta gave Sass a huge pat and reached in her pocket to get him a much deserved polo.
She headed back to the stables to dry off and get Sass sorted, as she rounded the corner to see Judith by the stall with balloons and 2 packs of polos. Turta chuckled and hugged her, whilst Sass was trying to steal the huge loot of polos. Judith stripped down Sass as Turta stripped down into her dry breeches and hoodie, not even bothering to try and hide in the stall as she changed. They both flicked off Sass and gave him a large haynet to congratulate him on his efforts. Then Judith sprawled out on the hay bale outside of his stall as Turta was just finishing up.
